BONTOC, Mountain Province — Hundreds of native rice farmers in this landlocked province will export at least eight tons of heirloom rice to the lucrative United States (US) market this year to augment the volume of native rice being exported by the provinces of Kalinga and Ifugao.
The growing production of heirloom rice in the rice terraces of Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Ifugao is a significant development in the effort of the concerned government agencies to preserve and protect the man-made rice terraces as well as the bid to preserve and protect the deteriorating watersheds and forests in the region being spearheaded by the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera.
The heirloom rice to be exported will be sourced from the municipalities of Tadian, one-half ton; Bauko, 1 ton; Natonin, 1 ton; Sadanga, 2 tons; and Barlig, 3.5 tons.
The export of heirloom rice to the US is being administered by the Revitalized Indigenous Cordillera Entrepreneurs (RICE) which has established linkages with prospective markets in order to accommodate the increasing production of native rice.
The RDC-CAR cited the production of native rice boosts the effort to preserve and protect the watersheds and forests considering that farmers will be encouraged to plant herbs and grasses which will be organically decomposed and used as fertilizers in the organic production of the native rice.
Kalinga and Ifugao have been exporting at least 25 tons of “unoy” and “tinawon” rice, respectively, to the US because of its rapidly increasing market, thus, RICE was prompted to expand its production areas to the organic rice farms in Mountain Province which eventually passed the international tests conducted by experts in the numerous rice farms.
The potential international market for heirloom rice encouraged numerous rice terraces farmers in the three provinces to go back to their rice farms and continue indigenous farming practices which are helpful in the preservation and protection of the rapidly denuded watersheds, especially in the various places.
Because of the shift from chemical-based to organic rice farming, the greenery in the denuded mountains is slowly going back since the barren areas are now being planted with herbs, shrubs, and grasses which are used as organic fertilizers of the heirloom rice.
The heirloom rice grown in the Cordillera is known for its aroma and lasting taste that is preferred by health-conscious foreign consumers.
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